(SportsRadio 610) -- Texans linebacker Zach Cunningham did not play in the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns for what head coach David Culley called "disciplinary reasons."
Instead, Joe Thomas started at weakside linebacker until Cunningham checked in for the second quarter.
When asked after the game about the move, Culley said it was for disciplinary reasons, but declined to specify exactly what happened with Cunningham.
"That's internal," Culley said.
This is the second time since the preseason to have a mysterious absence or benching with Cunningham, who was second in the NFL in tackles last season.
Cunningham missed the Texans' final preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to unspecified personal reasons. He was back at practice the next day.
The Texans under then-general manager Bill O'Brien signed Cunningham to a four-year, $58 million extension last year. Now general manager Nick Caserio has since restructured Cunningham's deal, converting $7.51 million of his salary this year into a signing bonus to create cap space.
With the Texans running a 4-3 base defense under coordinator Lovie Smith, the expectation was for Cunningham to thrive and possibly have his biggest season.
So far, that has not happened, though this defense is playing at a much higher level than in 2020.
Cunningham had seven tackles and a pass defended in the Texans' season-opener against the Jaguars and six tackles against the Browns, who won Sunday 31-21.
Cunningham was the Texans' second-round pick in 2017, when they also traded up to pick now estranged quarterback Deshaun Watson in the first round.
Brandon Scott manages digital content for SportsRadio 610. Follow him on Twitter @brandonkscott.
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